What's in your marketing plan? This is one of the first questions we will ask a business when they come to us looking for marketing advice. Usually when a business comes to us, either something isn't working as well as the business needs it to, or a business is in their early stages of development. This question gives us a good starting point. What is revealed usually provides great clues that help ultimately diagnose or determine where things are getting stuck or what next steps make sense. Below is one of our recent customer stories, one that, of course, started with this question. What followed is a story that could genuinely be many businesses.
It was one of tough revelations and a remarkable, sustainable turn around!
See if any part of this business's marketing experience feels familiar?
Quick summary of the "Before" we met these owners:
"BEFORE THEY KNEW BETTER" these business owners were unaware they were being passed over by a good number of strong customer opportunities. They were speechless, actually, when they realized how long this was happening and how many customers they had realistically missed out on!
Very regretfully, they also realized their obliviousness had left money on the table to competitors who were smarter marketers and better prepared than they were. Ouch!
Then came their connection with us:
To set the stage: We have worked with contractors and home improvement professionals since 2004 helping them develop meaningful marketing campaigns. Often, we will help by guiding them out of marketing efforts that have turned cold, or have under-performed.
By redirecting thinking or strategizing, they are able to refresh and revive their results! Below
is a summarized version of this business's recent revival. See if any of their experiences also resonates with you.
Their story:
Even after being in business for over ten years, and definitely not for lack of trying, these two home service professional business owners said their marketing was one of their strongest (and nagging!) sources of stress and frustration. Not enough "decent" leads for what they were spending for them and too many not closing or not moving through their pipelines. Their lack of stronger leads left them in a state of uncertainty and shooting from the hip too much of the time.
The two tried navigating the changing marketing universe the best they could, continuously thinking they can do better. Things that had previously worked for them, weren't anymore. Guardedly tried different things, but still fell short at mastering "quality" lead generation. Felt a bit like they were running in circles, not ending up much better off than where they started.
Both owners craved stability and security. Thinking a level of predictability would be nice, too! Not asking for too much, right?!
As a seasonal business, a lot rides on the effectiveness of their marketing. Generating enough qualified leads during "their season" has to be enough to sustain them for the whole year.
What we discovered? For far too long, they were unaware they had been missing out on quality customer opportunities that had been closer to them then
they knew. Wow!
Consequently, they were leaving money on the table (literally!) for a small handful of their competitors who were smarter marketers (at least for the time being)! Neither one realized the true extent this was happening to them.
We helped them discover what they were doing wrong. What they discovered they needed to do instead changed everything!
This is them now!
Happily counting THEIR money, instead of leaving it on the table for ANYONE else! Having left it there for so long felt like a gut punch. Looking back and wishing they could rewind or do a do-over is definitely fair. Fair, but not exactly possible. Their solution required making some changes.
Their first step was acknowledging the only way to get different results meant adjusting their thinking and their strategies. Learning what went wrong, not looking back. Making changes that mattered took courage and decisive actions. Without question, they were humbly more than ready!
Find out what they learned they needed to do instead. Discover the logic behind it and why it gave them the difference they needed!
The pages that follow include some of the re-thinking they did and strategies that are now included in their marketing plan.
If you think there is a possibility* YOU are leaving money on the table for ANY of your competitors, you may be very happy to discover what these two did!
* A reality check is that many home improvement companies are in a similar place that these two service providers were and either don't actually realize it, or don't realize to what extent, like they didn't.
CONTINUE READING and learn more about the transformative, smarter strategies these two business owners now have in place.
